Evolution Is Cruel
by Daelena
Summary: The question of Annabelle's immortality is answered. Ianto/Jack. Doctor/Donna. Annabelle/OC. Thirty-fifth in the "Immortal Janto" series.


Evolution Is Cruel

_Disclaimer__: Nope, I really don't own a thing. I'm merely writing what pops into my minds (as messed up as it is)._

_Summary__: The question of Annabelle's immortality is answered. Ianto/Jack. Doctor/Donna. Annabelle/OC. Thirty-fifth in the "Immortal Janto" series._

_This is the answer to the question that was posed at the end of "Results of Parent-Teacher Conferences." It deals with the question of whether or not Annabelle inherited Ianto and Jack's immortality._

_Annabelle is sixteen at this point._

Tears slid down Annabelle's cheeks as the Doctor grimly looked at her, his ancient eyes sad. It wasn't an easy moment, for any of them, but it was something that had been on all of their minds since the day that the test confirming Annabelle's existence was positive. The moment that was haunting them for years was close at hand.

The question of Annabelle's immortality would be answered.

Jack held his daughter in his arms as they sat on the couch in the control room of the TARDIS. Ianto sat on her other side, holding her hands tightly in his. The poor girl was shaking in fear.

"What's the verdict, Doctor?" he asked quietly.

The Doctor sighed. "I'm sorry," the Time Lord sighed. Jack felt his stomach drop. Either way, this wasn't good. "She inherited the immortality gene."

Jack barely suppressed the urge to cry.

Annabelle sobbed. Both Ianto and Jack wrapped their arms around their daughter. She buried her head into Jack's chest. He looked over her shoulder to Ianto. There was anger and pain and sorrow in his eyes and Jack knew exactly what he was feeling.

"It's alright, Annabelle," Ianto whispered, his voice thick with unshed tears. "It'll be alright."

Jack pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "Your Tad's right, baby girl. You have us."

She looked up at him, tears streaming down her cheeks. Jack felt his heart clench with so much pain. Her eyes looked so much like Ianto's right now.

"But . . . I have to watch everyone – all of my friends – Nick! – grow old and die. It's not fair, Daddy. It isn't! I'm not lucky like you and Tad. I don't have someone to love and marry, who will be there every step of the way with me."

He didn't know what to say.

Vaguely, Jack was aware of the Doctor walking up to them and crouching down. He couldn't be mad at the Time Lord, not now. The Doctor knew, all too well, what it was like to watch friends and loved ones grow old and die, while still having to soldier on and survive. Jack felt that pain too, just as he knew that Ianto felt it. Now, Annabelle would too.

The Doctor reached out and took one of Annabelle's hands, squeezing it, drawing her attention to him.

"Annabelle, listen to me," he said. She turned her teary eyes to him. "I said that you inherited the immortal gene, but that's not all." His voice was cautious, veiling something. There was something else.

"What is it, Doctor?"

He gave her a sad, understanding smile. "You're something like me, something like a Time Lord. No, you won't regenerate, but you do have a death clock, one that's greatly stalled and can be avoided. You'll going to live and live a very long time, but I promise you that, like me, the day will come when you will have the ability to move on from this universe and plane of existence to the next one."

Jack looked at Ianto and saw the confusion there. Annabelle tensed between them.

"I don't understand."

The Doctor sighed. "You have the tiniest piece of the Time Vortex in you, the very tiniest imaginable, and that won't sustain you forever. You'll live, but, millennia down the line, you'll die." He reached over to stroke her hair. "I don't know if it's possible, but you might be able to force a Vortex effect on the one person you're destined to be with. The TARDIS knows who that person is. She's looked into the future of your personal timeline."

"I won't always be alone?" Annabelle sounded hopeful.

The Doctor nodded. "Not always, I promise." He gave her the smile of an uncle to a favorite niece. "Besides, you've always got your dads, your Aunt Donna, the twins, and me. We're not going anywhere any time soon."

Annabelle sniffled and looked, first to Jack, then to Ianto.

"Promise?"

The question was directed at all three of them.

Ianto leaned over and kissed her forehead. "I promise, baby girl. We'll always be here for you, no matter what."

"We love you, Annabelle. You're so important to us." Jack brushed away the last of her tears. "You're our angel, our daughter."

And, as the weak, teary smile crossed Annabelle's face, Jack knew that, through it all, Annabelle would survive. If the TARDIS was right and there was someone in her future that was her soul-mate, then Annabelle could get through anything.

_Not very long, but packed with emotion. Tell me what you think. I will, as always, do my very best to get a new story up as soon as I possibly can._


End file.
